


She's Coming Back (Missing Piece)

by jilliangilbert



Category: Ghostbusters (2016)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Falling In Love, Holtz waits for Erin, Holtzbert - Freeform, Missing Scene, Sweet, ghostbusting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-30 17:53:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8543161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jilliangilbert/pseuds/jilliangilbert
Summary: Holtzmann hears Erin's voicemail after Abby becomes possessed and before they leave to go save the city from Rowan. Holtz can't leave without Erin... (because she loves her)This is based off the extended edition wherein they know how upset Erin is after punching the guy that told her she needed therapy. Holtz is worried about her.





	1. Chapter 1

"Abby! Where's Erin?? We need to find her!" Holtz yells down toward the garage where Abby is loading the equipment into the Ecto-1.

"My cell phone service is down!" Abby yells back up, "I think Rowan messed with the signals, try her landline at her apartment. The number's by the phone!"

Holtzmann rushes over to Kevin's desk and notices a red blinking light on the answering machine. It's from Erin. She sounds panicked.

"Hello! Guys! It's me. Are you there? Please pick up if you're there. Call me as soon as you get this. I think - when Rowan killed himself - it was just the next step in his plan..." Erin's voice trails off and Holtz hears the physicist's TV in the background talking about the mayor. The message cuts out and Holtz's blood runs cold. Erin knew. She tried to warn them.

Patty comes bounding up the stairs, "Holtzy come on let's — baby, what is it?"

"It's Erin. You guys go without me. I, I have to stay here. Erin knows. She knows about Rowan. She'll —"

"Whoa, slow down. Erin'll catch up, Holtzy—"

"No," the blonde interjects, "She's going to come here. She's going to come looking for us."

Abby breathes hard through her mouth as she rounds the corner up the stairs.

"What is it?" She asks looking from Patty to Holtzmann.

"Erin. She left a message. Abby. She. I - I'm just. I'm staying here to wait—"

Patty grabs more of the gear and heads down to the Ecto-1 as Abby makes her way over to her friend.

"Holtz," Abby says, taking the small woman by the shoulders, "It's going to be ok. Erin has survived on her own for the past fifteen years." The engineer's eyes dart back and forth over the top of Abby's head unable to concentrate.

"Holtzmann, look at me," Abby's voice softens, "Look at me." Holtz's eyes are wide with panic as they come to rest on Abby's.

"She's going to need her gear. She's going to come back, Abby," Jillian chokes, rubbing at her sore throat. Abby sees the red marks that are now beginning to turn a dark shade of purple.

She did this to Holtz. Her hands.

The small woman knows what's going through Abby's mind without her saying it.

"No no no no," Holtz says, shaking her head, gripping Abby's hands tight in hers.

"Abigail Yates, this is not your fault. This," she points to her neck, "is Rowan's fault and I need you to go catch him before he makes that big ole Robot you hired do more terrible things. I'm staying here. Erin is coming back. She's not abandoning you again."

Abby's chin trembles, "Okay," she concedes. "But Jillian, when she does, you come find me. You're my best friend. I can't lose you."

"Hearse's fully loaded! Got all of Holtzy's ghostbusting goodness!" Patty yells coming back up the stairs, feeling the intensity between her new friends.

"You'll never lose me, Abs," Jillian says to the brunette, strongly pulling Abby to her and placing a firm kiss to her forehead.

"Go. Go, you two. Go save New York City. I'll be right behind you. And I'll have Erin."


	2. Chapter 2

Holtzmann paces the second floor of the Chinese restaurant.

back and forth

Her brow furrows and her lips form a tight "o" shape as her mind races a million miles an hour. Her heartbeat is erratic. She's frantic with worry.

"Where are you Erin? Please be okay. Please, God let her be okay."

It has already occurred to Holtz that maybe _she_ should go look for Erin instead of waiting at their headquarters.

But where would she look? Holtz is nearly positive that Erin is not at her apartment. Not after hearing that voicemail.  
Unless she is at her apartment...  
And she's crying on the floor unable to move. Or worse. She's trapped on the subway or somewhere else hurt.

Holtz has a hard time swallowing.  
Maybe Erin even hurt herself. Holtz knows Erin — knows that her brain has been programmed by pain in such a way that it tells her everything is her fault. Erin must feel responsible for Rowan having access to her book.

Rationally, Abby is who rereleased the book. But Erin won't see it that way. She'll see it as having abandoned Abby, and that it truly is her fault.

Holtz remembers now the first time she met Erin. "I've heard terrible things about you." rings back in her mind.

"Shoot, Holtzy why did you say that to her? Why did you make fun of her bow tie and her shoes??"

She stands in front of the window, looking out. The one Rowan tried to throw her out of while possessing her best friend. Her body feels cold and hollow. Her mouth is dry.

"Holtzmann?" she hears.

Turning around, she sees Erin standing at the top of the stairs. The physicist's t-shirt is wet, presumably with sweat, her trench-coat hangs loosely off her body. Her bangs look pretty, Holtz thinks. Then she realizes that she, herself, is on the floor. Her own face is wet. Tears are running down her chin onto her neck. She almost died earlier and she thought she'd never see Erin again.

"Holtzmann! God am I glad to see you! Where are Patty and Abby? Did they take the car?" Erin gasps bending over to catch her breath.

"Yes - they took the Ecto-1. You were right. Your, your message. Your pack is right here," Holtz says clutching Erin's pack to her chest. She already strapped hers on, "You're okay," she says.

"Yeah. Or I will be," Erin pants, "I just ran 30 blocks. Ran is stretching it. I wan. Like a walk but a run but past tense. None of the cabs would drive this far East. Not even this asshat who claimed he wasn't afraid of no ghosts, which might I add, once again, is a double nega—"

As Erin gets closer she sees Holtz is crying.

"Holtz? Holtz, come here," she says, moving toward the shaking woman.

"Are you hurt? What happened?? Who hurt you?" Erin demands more than asks.

Holtz's eyes are cast down. Her hands still clutching the former professor's proton pack like it's a lifeline. Erin tenderly lifts the younger woman's chin.

"Holtzmann, who hurt you?" she asks softer this time. "I have a Swiss Army knife and I have already punched a man today. And thanks to your brilliant weapons, I ain't afraid of _any_ ghosts. Who do I need to kill?"

"Rowan hurt me," Holtz whispers, her bottom lip quivering. "Rowan possessed Abby. He tried to kill me." Erin's eyes fly to saucer status. "Patty slapped him out of her. Then he embodied Kevin. Now he's trying to destroy the city. Our city. I love this city, Erin. And I love. I mean I – I'm glad you're here," she says, fresh tears brimming in her blue eyes.

"I'm glad I'm here too, Jillian." Holtz looks up, into the older woman's eyes. Erin continues, "There's nowhere I'd rather be. You showed me that. You made my theories into a reality. Everything I dreamed of since I was a kid, you made a way to capture it, to harness it."

"I did?" Holtz asks.

"Yeah. You did. And now we get to use all of your toys to take back our city. To stand up to a bully. To fight back. I'm not letting Rowan get away with hurting you. I'm not letting him hurt anyone else. What do you say? Let's go find Abby and Patty and rescue our receptionist in the process?"

"Wouldn't want to lose him," Holtz says, a spark coming back to her eyes at the mention of her toys and the prospect of slaying ghosts and helping her friends save New York.

"It's not about him," Erin says, taking her proton pack out of Holtz's arms, "it was never about him. You showed me that too," she says wiping the tears off Holtz's cheeks with her thumb.

Holtz feels her chest expand three sizes with joy and confidence.

"Come on," Erin says, taking her hands and pulling Holtz to her feet. Holtz throws her arms around Erin's neck, pressing her face to Erin's cheek. Erin inhales Holtz's scent- a mixture of warm vanilla and salty tears.

The sweat from Erin's body feels cool through the fabric against Holtz's abdomen. Her lips brush across Erin's neck as she pulls back from the embrace.

Erin drinks in the sight of Holtzmann's dimples, her wide grin.

"Ready?" Holtz beams.

"If I wasn't before, I certainly am now."

 

 


End file.
